


Coffee Smells Like Heartbreak

by MalignSensualist



Series: First World Problems [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Brooding, Coffee, F/M, Fluff, Freeform, M/M, Writing Prompt, bad analogies, past Mai x Zuko, past Yue x Sokka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 15:06:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4142265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalignSensualist/pseuds/MalignSensualist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Imagine Person A being stood up by their date, so they’re just sitting at a bar. Alone with a milkshake or something. And then Person B is a waitron there and they notice A has been there for a while and look increasingly sad. Person B then proceeds to give A a brownie and some hot cocoa to warm their heart and put some sweetness back into A’s smile. </i>
</p><p> </p><p>In which Zuko finds himself once again alone during a would-be date; and Sokka has the <i>perfect</i> pick-me-up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coffee Smells Like Heartbreak

It was cozy in the little café, safe from the drizzling rain outside, beading on the glass windows and warping streetlights and signs into a rainbow of color. It was a muffled, muted sort of evening - perfect for curling up on the couch with a warm blanket and cup of hot tea and a movie, or maybe a book. Although, tucking over one of the small tables or squishing into a beaten leather sofa of Kirin Cafe would be a good second, even for a homebody. This little place was one of a kind; a private owned business, with cream colored walls and a small, regular stream of customers. Chocolate brown and plum purple and black accented the room in various forms; pillows, the chairs, baseboards and ceiling - with splashes of white and green lilies. It felt intimate, private, with the soft lighting and hushed voices - perfect for a date. 

Would be perfect for a date, if the date hadn’t stood him up again. 

Long, graceful fingers curled around the steaming CaféCortado - indulging in the rich, deep scent of espresso. Smelling was almost as good as drinking it, if Zuko were being honest. Dark lashes fluttered over golden eyes, at the first long sip. The coffee here was in a league of its own, a drink to savor for the flavor; rather than gulp down as an energy boost. 

He would have enjoyed it more were he not sitting here alone, amid all these couples enjoying a slow Saturday evening. 

Another sip and Zuko checked his pone again, for a message, a call - anything at this point - but nothing. The screen flashed 7:30 P.M. to him in neat black letters over the photograph of the lion-dog puppy he adopted a month ago. ‘Another ten minutes. That’s all I’m going to give her, and if she’s not here by then… then she’s not coming and I’ll just enjoy the evening alone.’ The thought was only a little bitter - and a lot full of shit. 

It was with concentrated effort that he didn’t go for the cell again, or the time or the messages that wouldn’t be there, or the absent phone call - and wondered, not for the first time, which of their extensive circle of heirs and CEO’s and politicians she was with tonight. It was a mean thought, and truly not deserving of Mai… in all truth, she had likely just decided it would be too boring to meet at a cafe and simply hadn’t come to spite his sub-par date setting. At least he didn’t look a fool this time with a bouquet of roses wilting on a table obviously meant for two. 

Five minutes ticked by and he pulled out a book, flipping to a dog-eared page and reclining in the surprisingly comfortable chair to read. At least this time, in he same jaded vein life had taught the twenty-five year old to consider, he planned for the worst. 

Ten minutes turned to twenty, twenty to forty - and Zuko hailed the waiter who delivered his original beverage for another one. He was a familiar face, a constant here, perhaps the owner or related to the owner - Zuko wasn’t sure. In all the times he drifted to this place, for coffee or tea or just a quiet place to study for another Med. Exam; this waiter was always there. Sokka, if Zuko remembered the name right - they’d never spoken really, but something about the peppy man with his odd undercut and ponytail and dark skin was… eye-catching? Memorable? Whatever it was, he made delicious coffee - and looked at Zuko now with a bit too-knowing glimmer as he took away the empty coffee mug. 

They didn’t speak, as usual, and Zuko returned to his book while waiting for another Café Cortado. 

Sokka busied himself at his job, the usual routine of taking orders and delivering coffee and tea and cocoa to salivating couples cooing to each other in whispers and giggles. Ew. It was gross and had to be unhygienic somehow, they were in public - and okay, so maybe Sokka was just a little envious of them. Maybe, just a smidgen. 

Maybe he’d just been in a total rut for the last two years, after Yue passed away - and maybe he just wasn’t ready for commitment again. Especially not when he compared every date he went on to her; how sweet she was, how polite, how genuinely nice she was to everyone. 

He sighed gustily, shaking away the thoughts after almost walking into the cooler door without opening it. Oops. 

Besides, it was obvious not everyone was having gooey-icky-love-fests tonight. It was a little rude to be sort-of happy about company in the “obviously-single” category… but, well, Sokka felt a little less like his life was a train wreck and going nowhere when there was another nearby who so obviously shared his woes. Well, perhaps not shared but Sokka would eat his own sock if the broody guy wasn’t having some sort of girl-trouble. Or guy, he supposed, considering Katara’s long winded lectures on the indiscriminate nature of love and whatever. 

The Inuit spent most of the evening so far stealing glances at his most regular patron. He was a familiar sight here, bringing books and laptop and big-ass texts and pouring over them for hours in some corner of the cafe where other patrons forgot about him, and he could go relatively unacknowledged. A feat, considering just how striking he was to look at - not many grown men could pull off long hair like that, and with the fair skin and amber eyes, well… more than one waitress had tittered her way over. 

Not that Mr. Stone-Wall acknowledged them - too focused on some crazy medical text or… whatever he did. 

Regardless, all his visits before were with intent - this one, could be the same, Sokka supposed… but he didn’t think it was. Checking the time, glancing at the door and dragging out that first cup of coffee before reading… they were some pretty strong indicators in his expert opinion. 

This guy had obviously been stood up, and Sokka could empathize with that too; so he whipped Mr. Broody up something special, and hoped he didn’t have it tossed back in his face. 

For the third time eyes tracked the same paragraph, reading without really taking in the words - or bothering to comprehend them. It was difficult, with half his attention still on the silent phone at his elbow, and his missing counterpart. 

The soft clink of a plate on the table had Zuko drawing back, blinking in some confusion and shock at the dark-chocolate pastry drizzled in raspberry sauce sitting in front of him. The sweet, rich smell of hot cocoa nearly had him sighing, until he remembered this wasn’t his order - nowhere near anything he ever ordered. 

“I think you made a mistake. I didn’t order this.” 

The waiter drew back at his statement, but left the cup and plate; he was grinning, hands resting on his hips and gaze almost challenging Zuko. 

“Yeah, I know. I thought you could use a change of pace.” 

Zuko liked Sokka’s voice, until he spoke in those irritating, condescending tones. The med-student glared at the Inuit, set his book aside in favor of crossing fingers in his lap. It was a pose very reminiscent of the one his father took before verbally shredding some employee or business partner, or Zuko. Sokka seemed to shrink a bit beneath the haughty posture and arched brows, because his own arms crossed in a huff.

“Hey, don’t try that… whatever that is with me. I was just trying to be nice - with all your brooding, you looked like you could use some sweetness in your life - and Gran-Gran always said hot cocoa warms the soul.” 

Zuko blinked, posture faltering as he looked back at the brownie and cocoa. They looked delicious, and he had a particular weakness for dark chocolate… but… 

“Why?” 

Sokka shrugged flippantly. “You’re in here a lot, and I’m familiar with you even if I don’t know you… besides, I’ve been stood up a few times myself.” 

Zuko considered him a moment, before picking up the little dessert fork and slicing off an edge of brownie - and very nearly moaned when the warm pastry practically melted on his tongue, leaving only the faintest, tangy trace of raspberry on his tongue. 

“Oh.” He said instead, almost enraptured by the sheer taste (it didn’t hurt he hadn’t eaten dinner in anticipation of his date with Mai). 

Sokka was grinning ear to ear in triumph, and Zuko maybe offered him a small one back. 

“Thank you…” He whispered and Sokka just waved it off, but his eyes were warm with appreciation as he turned to go. 

“Wait.” Zuko started suddenly, fingers fluttering almost nervously against the warm surface of his cup. Sokka turned around again, brows arched in question. 

“You’re name is Sokka right?” A nod. “I’m… Zuko.” He offered a hand, and Sokka was beaming when he took it for a brief shake.

“Nice to finally meet you officially, Zuko.” A wink, and Zuko may have shivered a bit at how his name rolled off Sokka’s tongue. He only nodded his reply, and before the situation could become awkward another customer flagged the Inuit down. 

It was with a lighter heart that Zuko turned back to his food and drink, the barest smile touching the edges of lips while he savored another bite of brownie. 

Under the sweetness and warmth of Sokka’s gift, Zuko couldn’t help thinking his coffee smelled like heartbreak.


End file.
